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Traditional (Ethnographic) Open-Air Museum

“Open air museums are defined as scientific collections in the open air of various types of structures, which, as constructional and functional entities, illustrate settlement patterns, dwellings, economy and technology”.
Source: (Verband europäischer Freilichtmuseen / Association des musées de plein air européens / Association of European open Air Museums (AEOM)] Constitution Article 1, Association of European Open Air Museums, Tagungsberichte 1966-1972, 109).

“The title “open-air museum” cannot be denied to a museum of which the buildings, completely or partially, as copies or true to scale reconstructions are rebuilt after original patterns, are properly furnished and open to the public.” These concessions can be made only under the condition that: “the original buildings of the type portrayed are no longer available (and) the copies or reconstructions are made according to the strictest scientific methods”
(ICOM declaration: 9th July 1956/1957 Geneva, section 6).

Ethnographic open air museums (also referred to as Skansen / Folk Museums) are a typical subdivision of these, with ethnographic rather than archaeological sources.

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